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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheeti.

A. BIXBY. V H FIRE ESCAPE. No. 290,961. v Patented Dec. 25, 1883.

G I L J Fig. l. A

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1 Witnesses: Inventor:

I Attorney N. PETERS. Pnuwgimu hu, Walhinglnll. n.6,

(No Model'.) I

- AJBIXBY.

- FIRE ESCAPE. v N07 290,961. I Patented Dec. 25, 1883.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Fig. 5.

. 1 1:7. Wiwesses I, In 1 671107? N, PETERS Phomlflhugnphm Walhingtnn. DC.

'UNKTED (STAT S PATENT Fries.

ARTHUR BIXBY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE ESCAPE COMPANY,

' OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

7 SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters {Patent No. 290,961, datedDecember 25, 1883.

Application filed August 24. 15 83. (No model.)

specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes'which employ anendless ladder suspended from pulleys.

The nature and mode of operation of the improvements will first bedescribed, and the invention will then be designated in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 (shows the application of thefire-escape to a building- Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thefire-escape. Fig. 3 is a sideview, showing the speed-governor. Fig. 4 isa front view,

showing the head at each side, but the parts on the right side are insection. I The letter A designates the endless ladder,

which may be composed of links like an ordinary-chain, or ofwire cable.Two chains or cables are employed which are connected by rungs b. Theendless ladder is suspended from pulleys 13, provided with sprockets a,

and mounted on a shaft, 13, which has bearings'in a hanger, C, attachedto a building, as shown in Fig. 1,.in any suitable manner. Thusprovision is made for the endless lad der to hang, and to allow one sideto de-' scend and serve as means to lower persons from the buildingwhile the other side ascends. I

To control the movement of the endlessladder a check, a stop-brake, andan automatic speed-governor are provided and so combined with the ladderas to adapt it to operate as a lowering apparatus under all emergenciesor conditions.

The check consists of two circular heads, D, mounted on the shaft B, oneat each end. One side of the head is provided with an endless serpentinegroove, 0. A stationary horizontal bar, 11, connects the lower ends ofthe two vertical sides of the hanger, and on the outer face of eachvertical side are guides e. A bar, E, has at each end anupwardprojecting rod, f, adapted to move vertically in the guides e, anda spiral spring, f, about each rod and between the guides serves anoutward point, i.

to keep the bar E normally depressed or held down, but allowing the barto have vertiealthe serpentine groove is composed, they consist oftwothe outward depression 43 and Between each two the inward depressionk. outward depressions is an inward point, It, and between each twoinward depressions is The pressure of the springs f tends to keep thecheck-rollers h in one of the outward depressions Now, to permit oneside of the ladder to lower, the heads D must turn, which causes thesprings f to be compressed by the action of the serpentine groove,forcing the check-rollers up until each of them occupy one of the inwarddepressions, k. In this movement the rollers first bear against one sideof the groove and turn a certain way until they pass one of the points'i or k. The heads D, now contin uing to turn, the rollers are broughtagainst the opposite side of the groove, and thereby the direction oftheir turning is reversed. Thus the check-rollers are compelled to turnfirst one way and then the other, and the el feet is to retard therotation of the pulleys B, and consequently to check the lowering of theloaded side of the ladder.

- The stop-brake consists of a lever, G, pivoted at one end, j, to thehanger above the pulleys. This lever carries the brake-bar H, having ateach end a roller, Z, which occupies the serpentine groove. Side bracesmay be attached from the brake-bar to the lever, to give rigidity to theparts. A rope or wire, n, at the end of the brake-lever G depends. whenthe ladder is in use, to the ground, and by drawing on the cord, therollers of the brake-bar are applied in the groove, so as to create agreat pressure, and thereby stop the head from turning and the ladderfrom lowering.

The automatic speed-governor consists of a light spring and applies thebrake-shoes to curved arm, I, pivoted by one end, 1), to the outer sideof the circular head and near the perianeter. The other end of the armcarries a weight, I, and near the pivot the arm is provided withabrake-shoe, q. Light springs 1' serve to keep the weights toward theshaft or center. The vertical side 0 of the hanger is provided with anannular rim, L, the inner surface of which serves as a face upon whichthe brake-shoe q bears. The weighted arms are carried around with therotating head, and when going at a moderate or slow speed are held nearthe center by the springs. The annular rim is stationary. %y the actionof the centrifugal force the weights have a tendency to be thrownoutward or away from the axis i of rotation. \Vhen the speed of therotating head increasesbeyond that which it is designed to have, thecentrifugal force overcomes the the annular rim,and thereby reduces thespeed. Thus the speed of the lowering of the ladder is automaticallyregulated.

In the drawings a speed-governor is shown at one side only, but anothermay be applied at the other side. The lower part of the endless laddermay hang free, or may pass around a roller or pulleys, as shown at T inFig. 1. Such roller serves merely to steady the ladder. \Vhere theroller is employed, it may be best to inelose the lower part of theladder to prevent it from being used improperly. I prefer, however, toallow the ladder to hang free that is, without a rollerand to secure itfrom improper use by folding the lower part in a receptacle, N,supported on an elevated bracket, 0, attached to the wall of thebuilding. hen the lower part of the ladder is folded in this receptacle,which should be above the first story of the building, it is secure fromuse by any one outside of the building, and yet it is ready for use byany one 5 within the upper part of the building. \Vhen l thus folded aperson may get upon the ladder, whereupon the one side will beginlowering and will drop down outside of the receptacle. and the otherside will begin ascending, there- 1 by lifting or drawing the foldedpart out of the receptacle. Continuing this process, the l lower part ofthe ladder is soon entirely released from the receptacle, the operationbeing wholly automatic.

\Vhen the ladder is not in use, the lower end of the brake-rope shouldbe coiled and put in the receptacle. The brake-rope should hang in suchposition. as to be within convenient reach of persons 011 the ladder,and also within reach of persons in the windows of the building.

I am aware that endless ladders passing over drums are well known, andthat a zigzag groove around the periphery of a wheel in connection witha pendulous lever, has heretofore been employed as a friction device toretard movement of theladder.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters'Iatent ofthe United States- I. In a fire-escape, the combination,substantially as set forth, of an endless ladder suspended from pulleys,a head adapted to rotate as the ladder moves, and provided with aserpentine groove, a check-bar having rollers which occupy the groove,and means to exert, automatically, a pressure on the checkbar.

2. In a fire'escape, the combination, substantially as set forth, of anendless ladder suspended from pulleys, ahead adapted to rotate as theladder moves, and provided with a serpentine groove, a brake-bar havingrollers which occupy the groove, and a lever provided with a rope toapply the brake-bar.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, sub stantially as set forth, of anendless ladder suspended from pulleys, and a receptacle, N, supportedabove the first story ofthe building, and adapted to receive the lowerend of the ladder folded, whereby when apersongets on the ladder to belowered the ladder will release itself from the receptacleautomatically.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR BIXBY.

\Vitnesses:

Enxnsr liIALL, ARTHL'R L. BEXOII.

